This is the Forward’s coverage of advertising, marketing, and Jewish consumer culture.
Advertising
The Latest
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The Schmooze 6 Most Jewish Super Bowl Ads
Everyone is talking about Scarlett Johansson’s upcoming Super Bowl ad for SodaStream. FOX has already nixed the original version, though not because of any political concerns — apparently it’s a big no-no to make fun of Coke and Pepsi. But what about the other Jews who have carved their spot in the Super Bowl ad…
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Opinion Obamacare ‘Pajama Boy’ Controversy Wrapped in Anti-Semitism
Surely the silliest kerfluffle of a political year that contained much silliness was the recent conservative hand-wringing over “Pajama Boy.” Pajama Boy, you will be forgiven for not knowing, was the star of a recent ad — one among many — by “Organizing for Action” (formerly Obama for America) designed to get people to register…
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Fast Forward ‘Racist’ Likud Campaign Ads Banned By Central Election Committee
The Central Election Committee on Thursday banned campaign ads used by Likud candidates in the Carmiel and Tel Aviv municipal elections, saying they were racist and offensive. Central Election Committee Chairman Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran ordered the candidates to stop the campaigns immediately, deeming them “racist and almost certain to hurt the feelings of…
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Fast Forward ‘Gay’ Puppets in Israel Ad Campaign Spark Debate
The goal was merely to promote clean energy in Israel — but television ads starring a pair of male puppets called “plug” and “socket” have instead unleashed a debate about gay pride. The puppets, named Sheka and Teka in Hebrew, have appeared in ads for the state-owned Israel Electric Corp. for more than a decade….
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The Schmooze Mercedes Angry at Hitler Run-Over Video
Mercedes is less than pleased with a student-filmed phony advertisement depicting a young Hitler getting run over by a C-Class luxury sedan. The video, filmed and released by German film school students for a competition sponsored in part by Mercedes-Benz, shows the car meandering around an Austrian village — Hitler’s hometown. We see the car…
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The Schmooze Jewish Girls Seek Boys in Epic Jewish Craiglist Ad
It seems you can find anything on Craigslist — even a nice Jewish boy. With pointed questions touching on important issues like summer camp, matzo ball soup, bar mitzvah themes and Seth Cohen, these ladies clearly know what they’re doing (and they make a mean brisket!). Gentlemen, the floor is yours. For the original ad,…
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Fast Forward How Much Israeli Money Goes Into Facebook?
Nobody knows how much Israeli money flows to Facebook. As opposed to traditional advertising, which gets channeled through media buyers and ad agencies, most of Facebook’s advertising is bought and sold directly, with the advertiser purchasing space directly from the company. Many small and medium-sized businesses manage their own campaigns, without intermediaries or commission agents….
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Life Does Being ‘Moderately Attractive’ Matter?
Sometimes it’s the smallest offense that tips annoyance into full-blown outrage. CTBoom, a rather juvenile Connecticut news/entertainment/humor site I sometimes read, recently posted a video of a McDonald’s commercial involving a Hollywood actress-type who has never heard of Connecticut. But it was the post’s title, not the commercial, that set my metaphorical hair aflame: “Moderately…
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